Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael Callagy, County Executive
Subject: Board of Supervisors Response to 2021-22 Civil Grand Jury Report “The Other Water Worry: Is Your Water Provider Prepared for the Big One?”
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Approve the Board of Supervisors response to the 2021-22 Civil Grand Jury Report “The Other Water Worry: Is Your Water Provider Prepared for the Big One?”
body
BACKGROUND:
On August 5, 2022, the 2021-2022 San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury issued a report titled “The Other Water Worry: Is Your Water Provider Prepared for the Big One?” The Board of Supervisors is required to submit comments on the findings and recommendations pertaining to the matters over which it has decision-making authority within 90 days. The Board’s response to the report is due to the Honorable Amarra A. Lee of the Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo, no later than November 4, 2022.
DISCUSSION:
The Grand Jury made five findings and five recommendations in its report. Staff has reviewed the Grandy Jury’s report and assisted in drafting the County’s response. The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors (Board) responses follow each finding and recommendation that the Grand Jury requested that the Board respond to within 90 days.
FINDINGS
Finding 5:
The County Department of Emergency Management has not followed EPA recommendations that it coordinate disaster response with County water providers, which may compromise its ability to coordinate a response to a catastrophic interruption in water distribution service.
Response: The County of San Mateo agrees with this finding.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendation 5:
The Grand Jury recommends that, by December 31, 2022, the County Department of Emergency Management develop a plan to bring its policy in line with EPA recommendations to coordinate disaster response with County water providers.
Response: The recommendation has not yet been implemented but will be implemented in the future. The recommendation has begun to be implemented and will be completed by December 31, 2022. The San Mateo County Department of Emergency Management has begun reaching out to local water providers. DEM will work with water providers to bring our policy in line with the EPA recommendations to coordinate disaster response with County water providers.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the acceptance of this report.